Radiant heat flooring is commonly constructed by providing concrete floors with integral hot water pipes. When hot water is circulated through the pipes, warmth is provided to the interior spaces of the structure through the concrete floor.
In a typical process for constructing radiant heat flooring, a steel wire grid is laid on a foundation of tamped gravel and sand. Water piping is then laid down in a zig-zag array over top of the wire grid, so that the pipe is parallel to some of the wires and perpendicular to others. The water pipe is then secured to the wire grid. Once the water pipe is secured to the wire grid, concrete is poured over and around the water pipe and steel grid. The concrete is allowed to set to form a concrete floor with integral hot water pipes.
In the process of constructing radiant heat flooring, the step of securing the water pipe to the wire grid is important, normally very time consuming and labour intensive. The water pipe must be secured to the grid to hold the pipe in place and prevent it from moving or "floating" when the concrete flooring material is poured over the pipe.
A number of methods have been used in the construction of radiant heat flooring to secure the water pipe to the steel grid. Various kinds of twist ties and tie wraps are commonly used to attach the pipe to the wire grid at points where the pipe crosses a wire. These prior art methods and devices are awkward and hence extremely time consuming to use. At each point of attachment, an installer must bend or kneel down and thread a tie beneath the wire and around the pipe before being securing it into place. There is a strong need for more efficient methods and improved devices for securing water pipe to wire grids in the installation of radiant heat concrete floors.